The East Amwell Historical Society and local historian Jim Davidson will present “The Sourlands were like a Roman Circus” on Friday night at 7:00 pm. The one-hour presentation will be at Hillbilly Hall, 203 Hopewell-Wertsville Road (aka Rileyville, Greenwood), Hopewell NJ 08525. Tickets are $12.00 and include pizza (drinks are extra). Space is limited and reservations are strongly encouraged – please RSVP to jdavid4194@aol.com.

Davidson, co-author of the recently released New Jersey’s Lindbergh Kidnapping and Trial, will tell the story of what happened locally from the night the Lindbergh baby was kidnapped from his home in East Amwell until the body of Charles Lindbergh, Jr. was found in the woods off Carter Road in Hopewell Township. Davidson and his co-author Mark Falzini, archivist at the NJ State Police Headquarters, uncovered over 1,000 pictures of the tragedy that had not been seen since the 1930s, many of which will be featured in this presentation.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, April 27 - Lebanon Township, Hunterdon County

Cemetery Cleanup

On Saturday beginning at 9:00 am, The Friends of Old Swack Church and cemetery grounds in Lebanon Township are sponsoring a cleanup of the grounds. Originally built in 1844, the church closed in 1894 and the grounds have been neglected, abandoned, and overgrown for years.The Old Swackhammer Church and Cemetery is located at 108 Anthony Road, Lebanon, NJ. Please bring rakes, shovels, gloves, clippers, chainsaws, and any other tools that you think may be helpful in clearing the grounds. Tell your friends and family about this opportunity to preserve a New Jersey historic site!

-----------------------------------

Saturday, April 27 - Morristown, Morris County

Being Green: 18th Century Style

Do you recycle? Are you ‘green’? Like many in the 18th century, Henry Wick was ‘green’ without even knowing it. Join a Park Ranger to discover what and how the Wick Family recycled in the course of their daily life. Program from 1:30 - 4:00 pm at the Wick House at Jockey Hollow, within Morristown National Historical Park. Cost: Free. www.nps.gov/morr-----------------------------------

Saturday, April 27 - Haledon, Passaic County

Workers' Memorial Day Observance

The American Labor Museum/Botto House National Landmark will observe Workers' Memorial Day, a day set aside by the nation's unions to draw attention to the occupational health and safety of workers in the United States, on Saturday from 1:00 - 3:00 pm at the museum's headquarters, the historic Botto House National Landmark, 83 Norwood Street, Haledon, NJ. In addition to the traditional candlelight vigil, Irwin Nack, Associate Professor of History at William Paterson University (retired) and past president of the American Federation of Teachers Local Union 1796, AFL-CIO, will offer a presentation and lead a discussion on the topic "What Were the Real Issues in the Chicago Teachers' Strike of 2012?"

The first Workers' Memorial Day was observed in 1989. April 28th was chosen because it is the anniversary of the formation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the day of a similar remembrance in Canada. Every year, people in hundreds of communities and at worksites commemorate Workers' Memorial Day as an International Day of Mourning.

The museum's hours of operation are Monday through Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. Tours are offered Wednesday through Saturday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm and by appointment. For further information, visit www.labormuseum.net, call 973-595-7953, or e-mail labormuseum@aol.com.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, April 27 - Trenton, Mercer County

Tours of Trenton

This year marks the 26th time The Contemporary Club has offered a day of bus tours to show off New Jersey’s capital city. Your guide, a member of the Trenton Historical Society, will spend the day with you, offering the history, the context and the anecdotes that distinguish these tours and keep participants returning. All tours are $50 per person. The tours begin and end at The Contemporary Victorian Townhouse Museum, 176 West State Street, Trenton, NJ, located in the State House Historic District, across the street from the State House Complex. Buses depart promptly at 9:00 am and return at 3:00 pm. Coffee and Danish will be served starting at 8:30 am. The $50 fee includes lunch and covers all costs.Wear casual clothes, comfortable shoes, and bring bottled water. Don’t forget your camera and don’t be late as tours start promptly.

Tour #1Rebellion Relics and Resting PlacesGuide: Charles Webster, Civil War HistorianTrenton and its residents played a more important role in the Civil War than most know, from the first shots fired on Fort Sumter to the arrival of Gen. George McClellan and on through Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Visit the sites and relics of the war, and the final resting places of men and women who lived and died during this tumultuous time in American history.Tour #2Capital County TreasuresGuide:Dan Aubrey, U.S. 1 NewspaperMercer County was organized 175 years ago, and this celebratory tour travels in and around the capital city, visiting the nation’s first important archaeological site, a former king’s love nest, a hidden building by an internationally recognized architect, the oldest house in Mercer County, public art by major American artists as well as artists creating right now ~ and more.Tour #3Roebling in Two TownsGuide: Sally Lane, Trenton HistorianThe industrial complex that was John A. Roebling’s Sons is gone, but the family and the workers live on in two towns they dominated, Trenton and Roebling. This tour will include a walk across a Roebling suspension bridge and images of bridges and Roeblings in bronze, stone, oils and stained glass, as well as a tour of the workers’ town & the Roebling Museum.Tour #4Neighborhoods and the ArtsGuide: John Hatch, Trenton ArchitectTrenton’s diverse neighborhoods house not only architectural gems, but beautiful art and interesting artists. This tour will visit not only some of the city’s best-known areas but also lesser-known neighborhoods and art venues, to introduce participants to a wide range of the established and emerging artists who make Trenton a vibrant and interesting place to live.For more information and details, visit www.trentonhistory.org.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, April 27 - Chester, Morris County

Civil War Photographers

The Chester Historical Society will feature a lecture, "Ere the Shadows Fade: New Jersey's Civil War Era Photographers," on Saturday at 10:00 am at the Chester Library, 250 West Main Street, Chester, NJ. The program is open to the public free of charge and refreshments will be served. Gary Saretzky, Monmouth County Archivist and photographer, will deliver the lecture, which features several notable examples of New Jersey's Civil War era photographers and describes how the war boosted the photographic trade as more and more soldiers and families sought images of loved ones.Photographers opened galleries throughout the state, and some traveled with the troops, including in the South. Trends developed. Many formal photographs of military officers are posed with a hand tucked in between buttons on their uniforms. A vast array of beards and moustaches were the style. Photographs served many purposes and became an invaluable record-keeping medium.Mr. Saretzky lectures regularly on topics related to the history of photography and preserving photographs. He has published numerous articles and reviews on the history of photography, and his photographs have been in more than one hundred exhibitions. More information on this program and the Chester Historical Society can be found at www.historicchesternj.com.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, April 27 - Somerville, Somerset County

Somerset County Historic Preservation Symposium

On Saturday, from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, a historic preservation symposium will be held. The purpose of this open, public forum is to bring together professionals from throughout New Jersey who have responsibility for planning, zoning, and historic preservation, or who have an interest in preserving and promoting our historic resources.Participants will hear from a number of well-known preservation professionals on issues relating to the state and local regulations; economic benefits; and funding sources. Symposium participation qualifies as CLG training.

Among the featured speakers will be: Dorothy Guzzo, NJ Historic Trust; Andrea Tingey, NJ Historic Preservation Office; Wayne McCabe, Preservation Consultant; and Thomas D'Amico, Historic Sites Coordinator.The cost of the symposium is $5 per person with advanced payment, and $10 with payment at the door. Advanced payment can be made by mail or by credit card. The symposium will be held at 40 North Bridge Street, Somerville, NJ. For more information and registration, visit www.heritagetrail.org.

-----------------------------------

Saturday - Sunday, April 27 - 28 - Harmony Township, Warren County

House and Barn Tours

On Saturday and Sunday, tour the Hoff-Vannatta Farmstead located in Harmony Township between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm each day. Tours of this circa 1755 house and barns will be available, plus reenactors, live demonstrations, and hearth cooking. The Hoff-Vannatta Farmstead is located at 3026 Belvidere Road (Route 519). For more information, e-mail Ruth at historicalcomm@aol.com.

-----------------------------------

Saturday - Sunday, April 27 - 28 - Hancocks Bridge, Salem County

Civil War Weekend

The Friends of the Hancock House in cooperation with the state Department of Environmental Protection, and the Division of Parks and Forestry will sponsor a living history Civil War weekend on Saturday and Sunday.The Union forces will be encamped on the grounds of the Hancock House, ancestral home of Civil War nurse, Cornelia Hancock. There will be activities for the family such as a presentation on the Victorian language of the fan plus musket drills. There will also be displays in the Hancock House.At 10:00 am Sunday, there will be a service in the same meeting house Cornelia attended. She also taught school in a building on the grounds until leaving in July 1863 to go to the battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The public is invited to the 10:00 am meeting/church service where you can sit in the very same seats the Hancocks used long ago.The event will run from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm on Saturday and from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm on Sunday. The Hancock House is located at 3 Front St, Hancocks Bridge, NJ.-----------------------------------

Saturday - Sunday, April 27 - 28 - Holmdel, Monmouth County

Sheep Shearing Weekend

On Saturday and Sunday, visit Historic Longstreet Farm for a weekend of sheep shearing. Gene Sheninger will return with his collies to show their herding skills. The Monmouth County Historical Association’s Holmes Hendrickson house staff will demonstrate the way wool was used in Colonial America with spinning and weaving activities. Longstreet Farm will provide wagon rides between the two living history sites. The event runs from 12:00 noon - 3:00 pm both days. Historic Longstreet Farm is located at 44 Longstreet Road, Holmdel, NJ. For more information, call 732-946-3758 or visit http://www.monmouthcountyparks.com/page.aspx?Id=2530

-----------------------------------

Saturday - Sunday, April 27 - 28 - Lambertville, Hunterdon County

Shad Fest

On Saturday and Sunday, celebrate the annual return of the shad to Lambertville. In its 32nd year, the Shad Festival has evolved from a local art show into a nationally recognized award-winning event. Shad Fest features the area's finest artists and crafters, great food, live music from local bands, and family entertainment, but the two-day extravaganza also serves as a venue for local non-profit organizations to raise necessary operating funds. The festival will run from 12:30 - 5:30 pm each day, rain or shine. There will be over eighty arts and crafters, a food court, face painting, cotton candy, sand art, and other children’s activities.On Saturday, The Delaware River Basin Commission will be teaching about how to test water quality at Lewis Island. In addition, attend an educational shad seining demonstration at Lewis Island. There will be a poster display and auction, with monies going toward scholarships for students pursuing a collegiate career in the arts. For more information, visit http://www.lambertville.org/ShadFestival.jsp.

Visit Morristown National Historical Park on Sunday to celebrate National Junior Ranger Day. There will be special programs and activities for children and adults. Call 973-543-4030 or visit www.nps.gov/morr for a schedule of events, including nature hikes, colonial games, and more! Programs will be held between 10:00 am and 4:00pm at Jockey Hollow within Morristown National Historical Park. Cost: Free. -----------------------------------

Through June 30, 2014 - Piscataway, Middlesex County

Got Work? Exhibit

View the exhibit "Got Work? New Deal/WPA in New Jersey" at the 1741 Cornelius Low House Museum in Piscataway. The museum is open Tuesday - Friday, 8:30 - 4:00 pm and Sunday afternoons from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. The exhibit will run through June 30, 2014.

The Cornelius Low House, built in 1741, was the home to its namesake and is only one of two remaining buildings from historic Raritan Landing. This high-style Georgian mansion is listed on the National Register and operated by the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission. Admission to the museum is FREE. The museum is located at 1225 River Road, Piscataway, NJ . For more information, visit

Listen for the sounds of sheep bleating coming from the museum grounds on Sunday between 1:00 and 4:00 pm. During the "Sheep to Shawl Festival," the sheep will get their spring haircuts performed by a master shearer as it was done in the 18th and 19th centuries. Our volunteers will transform the wool in demonstrations of spinning, weaving, and knitting. Other early American farm tasks such as needlework, blacksmithing, butter churning and making the drink known as "switchel" will be showcased. The festivities also include a number of children's crafts and games and a May pole. Herb plants and baked goods will be on sale, and free refreshments will be available. The event will be held rain or shine. No reservations are required.The museum’s gift shop will be open, offering a variety of colonial toys, crafts, books and educational materials. Admission: Adults/Children age 13 and older: $3.00; Children age 3 to 12: $2.00; Under age 3: free. The Miller-Cory House Museum is located at 614 Mountain Avenue in Westfield. For more information, call 908-232-1776 or visit www.millercoryhouse.org

-----------------------------------

Sundays through July 28, 2013 - Cranbury, Middlesex County

Wedding Display

The Cranbury Historical and Preservation Society's temporary exhibit entitled "The Look of Love - Bridal Fashions of the Twentieth Century" features wedding gowns, dresses and accessories from 1901 though the 1990s. A large collection of photographs, cards, wedding gifts, and assorted ephemera that span the century will also be on display. The Cranbury Museum is located at 4 Park Place East, Cranbury. www.cranburyhistory.org

-----------------------------------

Sunday, April 28, 2013 - Paterson, Passaic County

Exhibit Closing

Lambert Castle, the Victorian-era mansion located on the Garrett Mountain Reservation on the border between Paterson and Clifton, will be home to an exciting new art exhibit now through April 28, 2013. The exhibit, entitled "Message in a Bottle: The Bottleworks of Dr. Etta Ehrlich," will feature Dr. Ehrlich's unique and thought-provoking take on society and culture, using carefully-arranged antique bottles and other found objects. The exhibit will be open until April 28 during regular museum hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Lambert Castle is located at 3 Valley Road, Paterson. For more information, call 973-247-0085 or visit www.lambertcastle.org.

-----------------------------------

Some event listings courtesy of the League of Historical Societies of New Jersey